


What Hermione Wants

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Ficlet, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-07
Updated: 2009-03-07
Packaged: 2018-10-26 12:45:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10787013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: Hermione wants another baby but Ron doesn't.  Set immediately after the epilogue inDeathly Hallows.





	What Hermione Wants

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

Hermione waves goodbye to the Potters after the train leaves. She shrugs noncommittally when Ron suggests they have lunch before he returns to work. Hugo wants to eat at a Muggle fast-food restaurant near the Leaky Cauldron, so Ron drives them there. Hermione wrinkles her nose at the unhealthy menu selections and orders a salad. Hugo orders the child’s meal that comes in a cardboard treasure chest. He pockets the cheap toy inside for his collection of Muggle artifacts. Ron, after a cautious glance at his wife, orders the double-cheeseburger combo. He has put on weight and Hermione constantly nags at him to stop eating so much junk food. But today she says nothing.

Hermione picks at her salad, noting that the lettuce is not fresh. Another time she would have complained, but today she is sad and empty. Ron thinks it is because Rose is gone, so he squeezes her hand and smiles at her when she looks up. Hermione returns the smile, and makes an effort to join in the conversation, but her mind is elsewhere.

What will she and Ron do when Hugo leaves for school and it‘s just the two of them again? Hermione wants to have another baby before she is too old. But Ron doesn’t want more children. He has never forgotten the secondhand robes and tattered books, the Spello-taped wand, the humiliating lack of pocket money. When they went to Diagon Alley for Rose’s school things, Ron was beaming happily because they could afford to buy everything new. 

_“Does she need dress robes?” he asks Hermione, who shakes her head._ __

“Not until fourth year,” she reminds him.

__

“Oh, that’s right,” he remembers. “We’ll get her the best ones in Madam Malkin’s shop!”

__

Hermione suspects Ginny might be pregnant again. The thought depresses her so much that she pushes away her barely-touched salad. Ron is too busy scarfing down his food to notice. Hugo squirts too much ketchup on his fries and refuses to eat them. He asks and receives permission to go outside to the small playground.

Ron swallows the last bite of his cheeseburger, wipes his mouth, and stands up.

“I’ll walk back to the office,” he says. “I need to work off that meal. Be careful driving home.”

Hermione manages a smile, and lifts her face for his kiss. Usually it lands somewhere near her hairline when he is in a hurry, but this time he takes her face in his hands and gives her a lingering kiss. 

“I love you,” he whispers. “I’m sorry it’s been a while since I’ve said it.”

“I love you too,” Hermione replies. She watches him thread his way through the crowded restaurant and wave goodbye to Hugo before setting off in the direction of the Ministry of Magic. With a heavy sigh, she goes outside to collect Hugo and head home. She will bring up the subject of having another child again, but not for a while. They need to adjust to Rose’s absence and get Hugo settled into his new year of home- schooling. There is still time. 


End file.
